Republican Christine Drazan holds a narrow lead over Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek in Oregon’s governor’s race, as the GOP looks to win the state’s top office for the first time since 1982.
A DHM Research poll shows Drazan ahead of Kotek, 45% to 43%. Pacific Green Party candidate Brett Smith received 4%, while 13% of voters remain undecided, according to the Oregon Journalism Project.
DHM Research surveyed 600 likely voters on September 11 for Grow Oregon, a business-backed organization. Drazan’s two-point advantage falls within the poll’s four-point margin of error.
“This poll confirms what we already see on the ground: Oregonians are ready for change, and they see Christine as the leader who can deliver it,” said Trey Rosser, a strategist for the Drazan campaign.
“Four years ago, Tina Kotek made big promises on homelessness, housing, education, and affordability, but today, Oregonians are paying more, getting less, and watching the same problems get worse,” he added.
The survey also found broad dissatisfaction with Kotek’s performance as governor. Fifty-nine percent of voters said they disapproved of her job performance, compared with 37% who approved. In addition, 58% said Oregon was moving in the wrong direction.
Affordability was the leading concern, cited by 87% of voters. Other top issues included K–12 education at 85%, housing affordability at 78%, taxes and homelessness at 77% each, and crime at 73%.
Drazan also held leads in some polls during the 2022 gubernatorial campaign, but Kotek moved ahead late in the contest. Kotek ultimately defeated Drazan, 47% to 43.5%, while unaffiliated candidate Betsy Johnson won nearly 9% of the vote.
Kotek’s campaign emphasized the sizable share of undecided voters and sought to associate Drazan with President Donald Trump.
“There are still a lot of voters who are undecided in this race, but the choice couldn’t be any clearer,” Kotek campaign spokesman Federico Araujo said. “Christine Drazan is ready to open the door to Trump’s agenda, and Gov. Kotek is fighting every day to protect Oregonians from federal overreach and harm.”
State campaign finance filings show that Kotek has raised nearly $12 million since the start of last year and has $8.2 million available. Drazan has raised $9.4 million and has $2.4 million remaining after a competitive Republican primary.
The candidates are set to meet for their first debate on October 1 at the University of Oregon. Election Day is November 3.
Victor Atiyeh was the last Republican to win the Oregon governor’s race, securing reelection in 1982 and serving through January 1987. According to the Oregon Secretary of State’s official history, every governor elected since then has been a Democrat.
